The SPARKies Awards 2014

The #theSPARKies awards 2014, the digital and tech awards for the west, were held in Komedia on 30 October 2014 as part of the Bath Digital Festival. With 14 categories and 30 fantastic judges the awards recognised the very best digital and tech projects, companies and individuals in our region.

The evening itself was a fun-filled tech-fest featuring remote control inflatable sharks, hilarious compering by comedian Tom Craine and a true celebration of all that’s amazing about tech in Bristol, Bath and the West.

You can get a flavour of what the SPARKies awards 2014 were like in the video below:

The full list of the SPARKies 2014 award categories along with the 2014 winners are shown below. Well done everybody!

Congratulations are also in order to those who were shortlisted or nominated, the judges were amazed by the high standards of the nominees. It’s a true recognition of the breadth of tech talent in the region, and we’d like to thank everyone who was involved, particularly our judges and sponsors.

You can see the video of those nominated for a SPARKies award below:

The Winners

Best Game award

Games entered in this category were finalised and released in the last 12 months. The judges accepted any kind of game (e.g. mobile, console) but it had to be a successful commercial release to be considered.

The judges said: ‘Founder of Mubaloo, Mark combines mentoring with running a successful creative business. His development of talent has created many business opportunities and demonstrated the value of learning and mentoring.’

Also shortlisted:

Sponsor:

Best App award

Apps entered in this category were finalised and released in the last 12 months. Either a web or mobile app, this category was judged on the way the app looked and operated; its stability, speed, content and its functionality.

Sponsor:

Future SPARK award

The judges said: ‘Jake perfectly demonstrates the benefits of being both knowledgeable and passionate about what you do. He is clearly a fantastic innovator and it’s great that he’s been at the forefront of establishing SoMo Global in the region.’

The judges said: ‘Sam scored highly on all of the criteria: of specific note are both his prolific contributions to open-source projects and his talks and presentations both in Bristol and internationally!’

Also shortlisted:

Sponsor:

The ‘Good’ award

The judges said: ‘Pesky gNats is a computer game that uses core elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. We love the extension of gaming into the therapeutic space, connecting with young people in their own world.’

Best Service Provider award

The judges said: ‘We were impressed with the winner’s well-proven track record over the last 10 years. SETsquared’s success is now world recognised and they actively drive the development of the tech sector in the Bristol and Bath region.’

Sponsor:

From Chips to… award

The judges said: ‘This is as close to magic as technology can come and the solution to ‘feel’ touch in mid-air has many practical applications. The company has made good progress in developing the tech and is ready to get commercial – next year will be an exciting ride!”

Also shortlisted:

Sponsor:

Individual Contribution to Technology award

The judges said: ‘Ben is very engaged in the tech community and dedicated to making the Bristol region a focus for gaming in the UK. His reputation is incredibly strong, he has delivered real value to the area and is always looking to help other start-ups.’

Sponsor:

Totally Killing it Abroad award

The judges said: ‘Their philosophy of Bristol-first, avoiding better-known tech centres such as Silicon Roundabout, shows that it’s possible to “kill it” globally with local talent and without compromise.’

Also shortlisted:

Sponsor:

Founder/Entrepreneur of the Year award

This is an award for those in our community who have consistently demonstrated a significant entrepreneurial spirit and whose digital activity has shown commitment, enthusiasm, success and achievement.

Winner: Joel Gibbard

The judges said: ‘Brilliant use of new technology to disrupt a tired old sector and transform lives by making prosthetics more capable, affordable and accessible. Joel combines technical brilliance with a positive social mission, making this a real example of entrepreneurship at its best.’

Also shortlisted:

Sponsor:

Best Startup award

Starting a digital company is tough, and this award recognises a company that is doing it really well. The best startup will have achieved significantly to date, and will have significant potential for future growth.